good friday morning. i'm sunny hostin in for paula faris. >> and i'm rob nelson. we begin with the deadly blast of blowing snow, still battering the midwest on this first day of winter. and triggering warnings and watches across the country in 13 states. >> the blizzard is moving east this morning, after dumping nearly two feet of snow in madison, wisconsin. about a foot in des moines and dubuque. at least six people were killed, including 2 in a 25-car pileup in iowa. >> whiteouts were so treacherous, along stretch of interstate 35 was shut down. and the national guard was called in to help all those stranded drivers. the conditions dangerous for reporters, as well. >> the wind on interstate 80 is absolutely incredible. and it's just whipping from the north to the south. there's about a sheet of ice -- that was the one. >> blowing snow is really the problem here.

it has stopped falling. but you can hardly tell. the cars still litter the side of the highway. there's incredible whiteout up and down i-80. >> i'm impressed that guy didn't fall. the storm is putting a damper on the holiday spirit, as air travelers struggle to make it home for christmas. more than 1,000 flights have been canceled, mostly at chicago's o'hare and midway airports. more, now, on where the blizzard is going next and how much life it has left. >> accuweather meteorologist jim dickey is tracking it for us. >> good morning. feeling the effects of our major winter storm here. you see the swath of snow winding down on the backside in wisconsin and illinois. even as the snow has ended, blowing and drifting snow means continuing blizzard conditions for many spots. watch out if you're traveling i-80 here. the storm tracks its way into the northeast. winds out of the north and west. major lake-effect snow heading

forward into the weekend. rob and sunny, back to you. >> stay with us for "good morning america" for the very latest on the blizzard. team coverage, live, from the storm zone. and switching gears, now. we have shocking developments from washington overnight. that so-called plan "b," to avoid the fiscal cliff has failed. and president obama is delaying his vacation to hawaii because of the ongoing stalemate. nick ratner has the latest from capitol hill. >> reporter: in a stunning surprise, splits within house republican ranks forced speaker john boehner to cancel a planned vote on his tax cut bill. >> the house will call of the chair. >> reporter: in a statement, speaker boehner said his plan "b" tax bill did not have sufficient support to pass. the speaker said, it's now up to the president to avert the fiscal cliff. boehner, earlier, had said he hoped to revive stalled white house negotiations. >> the president and i are going to have to work together to solve those challenges. >> reporter: many house republicans told party leaders

they would not support a bill that violated their no tax hike pledge to raise tax rate, even on millionaires. senators have been told to plan on being back in washington two days after christmas, in an effort to keep the country from going off the fiscal cliff. nick ratner, abc news, at the capitol. and the impact of the impasse is already being felt around the world this morning. all of asia's major stock markets were down in their friday trading. most by about 1%. markets across europe were also weaker in early trading. we'll have a lot more of this coming up later in the broadcast. and the nation pauses today to remember those killed just one week ago in newtown. >> what a remarkable week it's been. among those is the first lady, who has written a letter in this morning's "hartford courant." she writes, may the memories of those beautiful children and those heroic adults be a

blessing for your community and for our country. >> and for more on the somber ceremonies, we're joined by wendy gillette in newtown. good morning, wendy. >> reporter: good morning, rob and sunny. newtown is a very different place. one week ago, at this time, it was a different place. a quiet, small town where violence was extremely rare. now, as the nation continues to heal after the massacre, many will pause this morning to remember what was lost. bells across connecticut will toll 26 times at 9:30 this morning, marking the exact moment when terror invaded sandy hook elementary school. governor dan malloy called for a moment of silence at that hour. and asked places of worship with bells to ring them once for every person shot to death in the school. clergy say they will do the same to honor the victims. and many governors asked residents to observe a moment of silence. yesterday, friends and family said good-bye to four more

children. 6-year-old catherine hubbard, allison wyatt, jesse lewis, and benjamin wheeler. >> there should be no reason for a coffin that small. >> reporter: teachers were also laid to rest. murphy was found shielding some of her students. during her service, roman catholic cardinal timothy dolan of new york, compared her sacrifices to jesus. family members of 6-year-old emilie parker launched lanterns for each of the victims at a memorial in ogden, utah, last night. >> there's no reason for us to be here tonight. >> reporter: the mother of the gunman, nancy lanza, was also remembered at a private service in new hampshire, attended by about 25 family members. attorney general eric holder visited newtown yesterday, to meet with first responders and investigators. many devastated mourners want the tragedy to lead to change. >> i hope the healing can begin for this community. it's going to be a long haul.

changes have to be made. >> reporter: and a long line of grieving continues for the fifth-straight day. there will be more funerals today for two staff members and three students. live in sandy hook, connecticut, wendy gillette, back to you. >> wendy gillette, in newtown. thanks so much. and schools elsewhere will be closed today, mostly for security purposes. thousands in michigan got an early start to their holiday break. classes were canceled because of threats of violence. a school district near dallas is off today because officials decided they needed time away due to the events of last week. in other news this morning, the famously globe-trotting hillary clinton may have taken her last trip as secretary of state, due to her recovery from a concussion. a spokesman says clinton has canceled travel through the middle of next month. by that time, the new secretary of state, presumably at this point senator john kerry, may

have in fact be confirmed. and coming up after the break, that breaking financial news. stock markets falling this morning. what does it mean for markets here in the u.s.? then, another impact of washington's gridlock. could we soon be paying $8 for a gallon of milk? details, coming up. and imagine living next to this. the neighbors across the country saying, enough. [ female announcer ] now get high speed internet at home

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stock futures indicate a sharply lower opening when the bell rings on wall street this morning. all of the weakness is being blamed squarely on the failure in washington to reach a deal on the fiscal cliff. also, the lack of a deal on capitol hill could dramatically affect milk prices. dairy farmers are worried that prices could shoot up to $8 a gallon, if they do not pass the farm bill. the blizzard hitting the midwest and moving east could mean fewer presents under the tree on christmas day. online retailers have swamped consumers with last-minute offers, including free shipping and two-day delivery. but the storm may delay those packages. so far, walmart and other retailers say there's been no major disruptions. and u.p.s. is turning to contingency plans to make sure deliveries are on time. the princess turned 75

today. "snow white and the seven dwarves" made its debut on this date in 1937. the future length film went on to gain critical acclaim, as well as a place in history. it was produced by disney, of course, the parent company of abc. so, here's a question for you. if santa didn't have magic, how would he deliver all those gifts? npr's "planet money" talked to fedex and came up with these numbers. he'd need 46 international distribution centers, with miles of conveyor belts. he would need 100 weathermen to monitor his route in real-time. and altogether, he'd need 12 million employees. good thing santa has that magic. >> yeah. we could use those jobs these days. but, hey, we all believe in santa. good luck. next on this friday morning, breaking news overnight. an arrest in the prison break that captivated chicago.

inmates who escaped using bedsheets. and a very happy christmas for two little girls after a very successful surgery. ♪ ♪ i woke up to a feeling ♪ every little thing has meaning ♪ ♪ i woke up to a light bulb on ♪ every little thing is possible now ♪ [ female announcer ] we've added a touch of philadelphia cream cheese to our kraft natural cheese to make it creamier so whatever you make isn't just good, it's amazing. ♪ ...is amazing with the love that i found ♪ ♪ [ female announcer ] kay jewelers presents neil lane designs. from hollywood's premier jewelry designer. hand-crafted diamond rings, earrings and necklaces. at kay, the number-one jewelry store in america. ♪ every kiss begins with kay

a deep, throbbing, persistent ache. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia, thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and for some people, it can work in as early as the first week of treatment. so now i can do more of the things that i enjoy. lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior, or any swelling or affected breathing or skin, or changes in eyesight, including blurry vision or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain, and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. with less pain, i'm feeling better now that i've found lyrica. ask your doctor if lyrica is right for your fibromyalgia pain.

ask your doctor if lyrica is right hershey's makes smiles. smiles make more smiles. when the chocolate is hershey's. life is delicious. the latest storm to hit the pacific northwest is creating a big headache for drivers. crews worked hard to clear the roads across southern oregon. but heavy snow still caused a number of crashes. after one accident, a 30-mile stretch of interstate 5 had to be shut down. another slick day for drivers in the pacific northwest and northern california. the commute will be treacherous across the midwest, even as the snow moves out. wet and windy highways from boston to d.c. snowy roads from northern new england to the ohio valley and appalachians. >> if you're flying today, airport delays are possible in chicago, detroit, d.c., philly,

new york, boston and san francisco. >> there are airport delays everywhere. say that. now, to the breaking news overnight from chicago. one of those bank robbers who made an amazing escape from jail has been recaptured. >> here we go. joseph banks, along with kenneth conley, managed to squeeze out through a tiny, tiny space and scale down 20 stories, using bedsheets. the escape went unnoticed for hours, with surveillance video from a nearby street showing the two no longer wearing those orange jail-issued jumpsuits. hopped into a cab. banks was found still in the chicago area. we'll have more on "good morning america." bernard madoff's younger brother, peter, has been sentenced to ten years for his involvement in the million billion dollar ponzi scheme. he claims he did not know about the fraud until his brother told him. a new judge in new york said she had a hard time believing that.

and it's a special holiday for one south florida family after a daring rescue. a police officer's dash cam caught the drama after the car crashed into a tree and burst into flames. the officer broke out the back window and jumped into the burning car. a good samaritan and another officer managed to rescue the others inside. thankfully, everyone's going to be okay. complaints are pouring in across the country from people who say their neighbors are taking the christmas spirit a little too far. we've all seen these extreme light displays, just like this one in florida. so, many visitors flood the cul-de-sac every night to get a look at the homeowner has volunteers in place to direct traffic. but neighbors say the bright lights and loud music are too much. and this spectacle is rieling up residents in southern california. it has 60,000 l.e.d. lights. >> not so many. >> very subtle.

now, to a christmas miracle for two, adorable baby girls. allison and amelia tucker were able to sit across from each other on santa's lap. they were born joined at the chest and abdomen. separated by doctors in philadelphia. and just yesterday, introduced to the public. >> it's been a pure rollercoaster of emotions. but i wouldn't trade it for anything because we've developed as a couple, as a family, as individuals. >> doctors expect the girls to have full, independent lives. allison was discharged from the hospital this week. but amelia will need a little more time to recover. with its player lockout dragging on, the nhl has canceled all its games through january 14th. there's no drop-dead date yet to cancel the whole season. and there's no new negotiations scheduled, either. as for the nba, some of last night's big highlights from espn. >> good morning. and welcome to your

"sportscenter" update. i'm zubin mehenti. the nba's longest win streak was on the line in minnesota. the longest kevin durant and oklahoma city thunder, a dozen games. but there's another kevin showing early. and he rolls on. kevin durant, coming back with three of his own. he had 33. love, kevin love, 51. the last time he faced the suns. spent a lot of time with injuries lately. here comes durant. look at this. nice. making the impossible seem simply routine. j.j. coming off the bench. 18 off the pine. just 14 of them in the fourth quarter. wolves win. thunder winning streak over. heat/mavericks, in dallas. lebron, finishing. wow.

24. he's had at least 20 in every time this season. more from lbj. just moving through. everything has gone right for miami. look at this pass. across the court. and lebron splitting the double-team for the easy two. and they had it going. dwyane wade with a plus on the night. heat up 18. lebron, sizing it up. banging in the triple. heat win so easy. lebron clipping his nails on the bench. that is your "sportscenter" update. have a nice weekend. >> taught lebron everything he knows. up next, the latest pizza hut creation. wait until you see the pizza in a pizza. >> yummy. and santa may be busy. but he gets an important message from air traffic control. [ male announcer ] this is bob,

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♪ it's the end of the world as we know it ♪ ♪ it's the end of the world as we know it ♪ good music selection, guys. well done. you could say the end of the mayan calendar and doomsday have proven false. in taiwan, they counted down in front of a replica mayan temple. everyone survived. that's been the case at every other doomsday event, as well. >> the seven-day weather forecast. the world-ending heat today. and no need for a saturday forecast. >> here in new york, plenty of

bars and clubs are hosting end of the world parties. people are going online in search of what's being dubbed as doomsday sex. there are worse ways to go. if you're looking for a way to celebrate our continued survival on the planet, check this out. a pizza hut in singapore has created the megacalorie monstrosity, a pizza within a pizza. >> two rings of stuffed crust. then, two sauces and a range of toppings, all served with, you guessed it, a cherry on top. >> i tried. >> i would, too. this is all of you who made it to santa's nice list. the faa says the powered sleigh, santa one, is cleared for its flight around the globe next week. >> santa will get a boost from technology. a special team of elves working for santa has outfitted his

sleigh with equipment to navigate near cities. and you'll be able to follow the tracking of the sleigh next week on twitter. for some of you, local news is next. >> stay tuned, everybody. we'll be back. l bonus. and everyone...but her likes 50% more cash. but i'm upping my game. do you want a candy cane? yes! do you want the puppy? yes! do you want a tricycle? yes! do you want 50 percent more cash? no! ♪ festive. [ male announcer ] the capital one cash rewards card gives you 1% cash back on every purchase plus a 50% annual bonus on the cash you earn. it's the card for people who like more cash. what's in your wallet? it's the card for people who like more cash. i'm mom at the playground and the dog park. the kids get trail mix... and you get a delicious milo's kitchen chicken meatball. they're 100% real... i wish you liked my cooking that much. the best treats come from the kitchen. milo's kitchen home-style dog treats.

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captioned bybegin closed captioning services, inc. good morning it is friday i'm katie marzullo in for2r,/r kristen sze.?=hcm i'm eric thomas. this will be the first official day of winter. we have winterhrm weather with it.yx#t winter it felt like that in the north bayduawd. marin, sonoma and starting to 'úrh of glen impressive radar return also+1dç jyx petalumagé6 where we û'kjp&2,

pf bay getting heavy rain@÷? now. mainly up in the north bay as this water is rushing to the north$ln" itrru1 has been brn heavy rain all morning that is coming down towards the bay. rain means slick roads and dangerousmtmoé driving conditios yoe on the golden gate bridge a few cars now no roadwork but we have high winds, high wind advisory for the bay bridge now. i think extra caution and extra time is the key this morning. to one lane until 6:00, north 280 san jose avenue in san francisco roadwork until 5:00 this morning. r1d9 as usual the rain is moving r1d9 into the north bay first before it blankets the rest of

the bay area. terry mcsweeney is live in sonoma county.t(a! >> reporter: my dad said if you go looking for trouble you will probably find it. if morning if you look for rain you will find it. heading north, no rain sonoma county and we met it as it was heading down south. we are at the south petaluma exit. v here dry, here north very wet minor flooding in windsor northstng of4#hw santa , the rain coming down in santa rosa, i did call the santa rosa police department reports of accidents or troubl217ñ as a result of the weather. in marin county, you could feel the wind and the storm heading that way right now rain coming down here in petaluma i'd like to hears?ñkv m mike niccow#rñ, where we shoulde in one hour if